Local college receives another $4 million for oilfield training center

Wednesday

Dec 5, 2012 at 8:27 PM

Fletcher Technical Community College will get $4 million from the state for its new Integrated Petroleum Technology Center, doubling the $4 million oil giant BP donated for the facility, the college announced Wednesday.

Matthew AlbrightStaff Writer

Fletcher Technical Community College will get $4 million from the state for its new Integrated Petroleum Technology Center, doubling the $4 million oil giant BP donated for the facility, the college announced Wednesday.The new money, which comes from the state's construction budget, means the school has $8 million on hand to build a state-of-the-art technology center on its new campus in Schriever. At 29,999 square feet, the building will include a 4,000-square-foot training laboratory, classroom space and offices.“This is all the latest and greatest,” Fletcher Chancellor Travis Lavigne said. “This is something we will be very, very proud of.”Fletcher's two-year petroleum technology program teaches students the technical, scientific and mathematical skills required for oil-field jobs. The new space and equipment means the program will be able to grow and give students more hands-on experience with the most up-to-date technology.In addition to beefing up Fletcher's two-year programs, the building will give the school space to open up room for high school students. Local high school juniors and seniors could dual-enroll at Fletcher and their high school, earning credits for fast-track degrees or certificates at Fletcher or Nicholls State University.“This is a very exciting opportunity for our students,” said Terrebonne Parish Schools Superintendent Philip Martin. “It's hard for me to think of a better set-up for students who are looking for oilfield jobs. This is going to put them way ahead of the game.”The project comes as local leaders work to beef up badly needed job training for the offshore industry to meet surging demand. Oil companies said there are more jobs than there are skilled workers and are shelling out sometimes huge sums of money to speed up training.BP, for example, was also a major donor to Fletcher's new campus and has paid for smart boards or interactive computer screens in several local elementary and middle schools.Local legislators who helped net the money said the new center is a boon for the Houma-Thibodaux area.“Once this building is completed and ready for students, Fletcher will continue to be able to train young people for jobs and provide south Louisiana with skilled workers, which we so badly need,” said state Sen. Brett Allain, R-Franklin, in a news release.Lavigne said the cooperation between private industry and the state was crucial to making the project happen, especially when higher education aid remains scarce.“The collaboration among BP, Fletcher and the state of Louisiana exemplifies the unique impact a public-private partnership can have when we come together with a common goal of educating the future workforce of our state,” Lavigne said.The building was designed by Thibodaux-based Weimer Gros Flores LLC and Crump Wilson Architects. It will be built by the Prairieville-based J.F. Juge Construction Co.A construction timeline isn't ready, but the building must be completed by 2014 because of state requirements.

Staff Writer Matthew Albright can be reached at 448-7635 or at matthew.albright@dailycomet.com.